Since Marilyn Manson returned to the stage in the summer of 2024 with the One Assassination Under God tour, pulsating illuminated upside-down double crosses have been a consistent part of the stage design. The double cross itself is nothing new in Manson's work. It has been part of his imagery for many years and became particularly prominent again after the Heaven Upside Down era. What is new since 2024 is the way the symbol has been incorporated into the lighting of the performance. Rather than functioning simply as a static emblem, the crosses now pulsate and change as part of the stage itself, becoming one of the most noticeable elements of every concert. Manson's return to the stage has also involved bringing back many features and images from earlier periods of his career, which has naturally given the performances a nostalgic quality for longtime fans. What interests me for this analysis, however, is what has actually been added during this new period that has not be...
Today, March 31st, is the final performance for Evan Rachel Wood as Audrey in the Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors , and to announce her final performance and bid farewell Evan shared some final thoughts with us on Instagram. In her message, she tells us how it was a childhood dream of hers to perform on stage in New York, but then her "life was derailed by trauma and tragedy, and it seemed my dreams were stolen." What exactly is she referring to here? The first time Evan was offered to perform on a New York stage was for the 2011 Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark , but because it was delayed it created a scheduling conflict for Evan, so she bowed out in March 2010, which was a few months into her engagement with Marilyn Manson. Is Evan now blaming Manson for stealing her dream? Her second chance to star on a New York stage came 14 years later with Little Shop of Horrors , and in between that time Evan has starred in a numbe...